A 2-part Japanese Tansu Storage Chest

Japanese storage tansus were used to hold clothing and other personal effects in a 19th Century Japanese home. Because Japanese homes were and are relatively small, furniture was relatively small. Because rooms were used for multiple purposes, furniture also needed to be lightweight and portable. Accordingly, storage chests had handles for recieving carrying poles. The distinctive iron hardware provided structural stiffness and also served a decorative function.